Monthly Hotline Report
November 1993
RCRA/Superfund/OUST and Emergency Planning and Community
Right-to-Know Act
The RCRA/Superfund/OUST and Emergency Planning and Community
Right-to-Know Act Monthly Hotline Report provides valuable OSWER
programmatic information. This bulletin contains excerpts from
the Report's "Questions and Answer" and "Publications" sections.
The full report is available from the U.S. National Technical
Information Service at 703-487-4650. For other information,
please contact the RCRA/Superfund/OUST Hotline at 1-800-424-9346
or the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act Hotline
at 1-800-424-9346.
EPA Report Number: EPA/530-R-93-004k
NTIS Number: PB93-922411
Hotline Questions and Answers
RCRA
1. Containment Buildings as Independent Hazardous Waste
Management Units
EPA recently promulgated standards for a new hazardous waste
management unit called a containment building under 40 CFR Parts
264 and 265, Subpart DD (57 FR 37194; August 18, 1992). EPA also
amended Section 262.34(a)(1), allowing large quantity generators
to accumulate and treat hazardous wastes on-site in containment
buildings for 90 days or less without a permit or interim status.
Must large quantity generators accumulating hazardous waste in
containers or tanks under Sections 262.34(a)(1)(i) or (ii) now
construct containment buildings to house their container or tank
accumulation areas?
No, the new containment building regulations do not affect
hazardous waste container, tank, or drip pad management standards
at generator facilities and treatment or storage facilities
operating under permits or interim status. EPA developed the
containment building standards to provide large quantity
generators and treatment and storage facilities with a new
management unit for bulky, nonliquid hazardous wastes (e.g.,
lead-bearing materials from batteries) not amenable to
accumulation, storage, or treatment in containers or tanks.
Although a containment building can serve as a secondary
containment system for hazardous waste tanks under certain
conditions, there is no federal regulatory requirement to house
existing containers, tanks, or other RCRA hazardous waste
management units within a containment building (57 FR 37215;
August 18, 1992). Containment buildings are intended to serve as
independent hazardous waste management units. A large quantity
generator accumulating hazardous wastes solely in containers, in
tanks, or on drip pads in accordance with 40 CFR Sections
262.34(a)(1)(i), (ii), or (iii) is not required to comply with
the standards for containment buildings specified in Section
262.34(a)(1)(iv).
EPCRA
2. Light Fixtures as Structural Components Under EPCRA Section
313
To reduce the use of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at a
facility, the owner/operator removed the light fixtures equipped
with PCB-filled ballasts and replaced them with light fixtures
free of PCBs. The ballasts were disposed of off-site. Must the
owner/operator report the PCBs found in the light fixture
ballasts as otherwise used when making EPCRA Section 313
threshold and release determinations, or would this use of PCBs
be exempt under 40 CFR Section 372.38(c)?
For purposes of EPCRA Section 313, the term "otherwise use"
means any use of a listed toxic chemical at a facility that does
not fall under the definitions of "manufacture" or "process" (40
CFR Section 372.3). In developing the definition of otherwise
use, EPA exempted certain uses of toxic chemicals to narrow the
types of activities covered by the threshold (40 CFR Section
372.38(c)). The structural component exemption limits the
definition of otherwise use by excluding those activities
involving toxic chemicals found at a facility in passive
structures or equipment (53 FR 4500, 4506; February 16, 1988).
The PCBs found in the light fixture ballasts are structural
components of the facility and are therefore excluded from EPCRA
Section 313 threshold and release determinations pursuant to 40
CFR Section 372.38(c)(1). Reporting the off-site disposal of
these PCBs is not required under EPCRA Section 313.
New Publications
How to Order...
NTIS publications are available by calling 703-487-4650 or
writing NTIS, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161. Be
sure to include the NTIS order number listed under the document.
EPA publications are available through the Hotline. Use the EPA
order number listed under the document.
RCRA/SF/OUST: 1-800-424-9346
703-412-9810 (local)
EPCRA/Title III: 1-800-424-9346
703-412-9877
RCRA
TITLE: "Discussion Document for Roundtable Session on Waste
Minimization"
AVAILABILITY: Hotline
EPA ORDER NO.: EPA530-R-93-020
This document provides the framework and background information
for the waste minimization discussions held at the National
Roundtable Meetings on Hazardous Waste Minimization and
Combustion of Hazardous Waste on November 15-18, 1993. The
document is designed to facilitate discussion of key waste
minimization issues that will impact future EPA policy.
TITLE: "Generator Letter"
AVAILABILITY: Hotline
EPA ORDER NO.: EPA530-F-93-028
This letter, part of EPA's Draft Waste Minimization and
Combustion Strategy, was sent to approximately 24,000 potential
large quantity generators (LQGs). The letter informs these
facilities that EPA has identified them as LQGs from the 1989 and
1991 Biennial Report data and encourages them to make their waste
minimization programs available to the public.
TITLE: "Letters from EPA's Administrator to CEOs and Large
Quantity Generators of Hazardous Waste"
AVAILABILITY: Hotline
EPA ORDER NO.: EPA530-F-93-036
This fact sheet announces EPA's plan to send both large quantity
generators (LQGs) and their chief executive officers' letters
reminding them of RCRA's waste minimization requirements. Using
a question and answer format, this fact sheet addresses both
administrative and substantive questions that may arise as a
result of the generator letters.
TITLE: "EPA National Roundtable on Hazardous Waste Minimization
and Combustion (November 15-18, 1993) Discussion
Document: Technical Combustion Sessions"
AVAILABILITY: Hotline
EPA ORDER NO.: EPA530-R-93-019
This document provides the framework and background information
for the technical combustion discussions that were held at the
National Roundtable Meetings on Hazardous Waste Minimization and
Combustion of Hazardous Waste on November 15-18, 1993. The
document is designed to facilitate the discussion of combustion
issues such as risk assessment, emission control limits, and
technology- versus risk-based standards.
TITLE: "Reusable News, Summer/Fall 1993"
AVAILABILITY: Hotline
EPA ORDER NO.: EPA530-N-93-004
This issue of the newsletter contains articles on the economic
benefits of recycling. Articles cover the pros and cons of
bottle deposit legislation, international packaging legislation,
corporate composting, and possible revisions to the federal paper
procurement guidelines. The newsletter also announces a
conference in January dealing with disaster-related debris, and
profiles recent publications and videos pertaining to municipal
solid waste.
TITLE: "Household Hazardous Waste: A Manual for One-Day
Community Collection Programs"
AVAILABILITY: Hotline
EPA ORDER NO.: EPA530-R-92-026
This handbook is designed to help community leaders and program
organizers plan and implement a household hazardous waste
collection program, specifically focusing on one-day drop-off
centers. The document provides detailed information on the
planning, funding, and operation of a collection program as well
as steps for successful implementation and public involvement.
It includes state and regional hazardous waste contacts, case
studies, information resources, and a summary of hazardous waste
laws and regulations.
TITLE: "Waste Management Area (WMA) and Supplemental Well (SPW)
Guidance; Final"
AVAILABILITY: NTIS
NTIS ORDER NO.: PB94-107 695
This document provides guidance to RCRA permit writers and other
interested parties regarding the proposed amendments to the RCRA
Subtitle C groundwater monitoring regulations published in the
Federal Register July 26, 1988. The document contains
information about increasing flexibility in the implementation of
the groundwater monitoring regulations through the use of single
and multiple waste management areas (WMAs) and supplemental wells
(SPWs). Case studies, both real and hypothetical, are presented,
and the appendices address model permit language and corrective
action management units (CAMUs).
TITLE: "Summary and Technical Review of Supporting Literature
for the 1985 Report to Congress on Wastes from the
Extraction and Beneficiation of Metallic Ores, Phosphate
Rock, Asbestos, Overburden from Uranium Mining, Oil, and
Shale"
AVAILABILITY: NTIS
NTIS ORDER NO.: PB94-113 404
This paper presents a technical review of the sampling and
analytical data cited in the 1985 Report to Congress on Wastes
from the extraction and beneficiation of metallic ore, phosphate
rock, asbestos, overburden from uranium mining, oil, and shale.
For each source, the document presents a review of the sampling
and analysis methodologies, and a description of the data
collected. Specific analytical results from each source are
provided in attached tables.
TITLE: "Summary of Data Presented in the Background Document for
Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards -- Ore
Mining and Dressing Point Source Category"
AVAILABILITY: NTIS
NTIS ORDER NO.: PB94-113 388
This document recompiles data from a study of wastewaters
generated at ore mining and dressing sites. The data were
originally presented in Development Document for Effluent
Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Ore Mining and
Dressing Point Source Category, in 1982, in support of developing
effluent guidelines for use in NPDES permits. This summary
contains the specific types of operations within each section,
the organics analyzed, and a narrative description of the results
of wastewater characterization for each process.
TITLE: "Summary of Data Presented in Background Document for
Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards--Mineral
Mining and Processing Point Source Category"
AVAILABILITY: NTIS
NTIS ORDER NO.: PB94-113 396
This document recompiles data from a study of the mineral mining
and processing industry. The data were originally presented in
Development Document for Effluent Limitations Guidelines and
Standards -- Mineral Mining and Processing Industry Point Source
Category, published in 1979. The data presented is grouped by
mineral and subgrouped primarily by processing technology.
TITLE: "Solid Waste Disposal Criteria: Technical Manual"
AVAILABILITY: NTIS
NTIS ORDER NO.: PB94-100 450
This manual is designed to assist municipal solid waste landfill
owners and operators in complying with the revised municipal
solid waste landfill criteria promulgated on
October 9, 1991. The manual contains six chapters dealing with
general applicability of the criteria: location restrictions,
operating requirements, design standards, groundwater monitoring
and corrective action, and closure and post-closure care. Each
chapter provides regulatory language, identifies key technical
issues, gives a general explanation of who must comply with the
regulations, and provides references such as organizations and
documents.
CERCLA
TITLE: "Superfund Administrative Improvements: Reinventing
Superfund"
AVAILABILITY: NTIS
NTIS ORDER NO.: PB94-963 210
The Superfund Administrative Improvements initiatives are a
comprehensive package of administrative changes designed to make
significant improvements to the program prior to legislative
reauthorization. Announced in June 1993, these initiatives are
designed to improve the pace, cost, and fairness of Superfund.
This fact sheet describes the themes, background, and each
initiative of the administrative improvements effort.
TITLE: "Draft Soil Screening Level Guidance"
AVAILABILITY: NTIS
NTIS ORDER NO.: PB93-963 508
This fact sheet was developed in response to the Superfund
Administrative Improvements initiatives that were announced in
June 1993. The fact sheet presents soil screening levels (SSLs)
for 30 chemicals and represents EPA's first step toward
standardizing the evaluation and cleanup of contaminated soils
under CERCLA.
TITLE: "Guidance for Evaluating the Technical Impracticability
of Groundwater Remediation"
AVAILABILITY: NTIS
NTIS ORDER NO.: PB93-963 507
This guidance was developed in response to the Superfund
Administrative Improvements initiative that was announced in June
of 1993. Specifically, this guidance clarifies how EPA will
determine whether groundwater restoration is technically
impracticable and what alternative measures or actions must be
undertaken to ensure that the final remedy is protective of human
health and the environment. This guidance will apply to both
RCRA corrective actions and Superfund responses.
TITLE: "The First 125 De Minimis Settlements: Statistics from
EPA's De Minimis Database"
AVAILABILITY: Hotline
EPA ORDER NO.: NA
Under Section 122(g) of CERCLA, EPA is encouraged to reach
settlements with de minimis waste contributors and de minimis
landowners. Since 1986 EPA has entered into approximately 125 de
minimis settlements. In an effort to facilitate greater use of
de minimis settlements, EPA has developed the De Minimis
Database. This report summarizes data maintained in the
database.
TITLE: "Superfund Administrative Improvements Quarterly Report;
Fourth Quarter, FY93 (July, August, and September)"
AVAILABILITY: Hotline
EPA ORDER NO.: NA
This is the first in a series of reports that will be produced at
the end of each fiscal quarter to document progress made on each
Administrative Improvements initiative. Specifically, this
memorandum describes the major milestones and activities
completed by Headquarters and Regional offices under the 17
Administrative Improvements initiatives during the months of
July, August, and September 1993.
EPCRA
TITLE: "Draft Crosswalks: EPCRA Database Statistics"
AVAILABILITY: Hotline
EPA ORDER NO.: NA
Crosswalks is a table containing data compiled from EPCRA Section
312 Tier II reporting information from 10 states. The table
indicates the potential for a given substance to be stored by a
particular type of facility. The draft report lists standard
industrial classification (SIC) codes, their descriptions, and a
breakdown of the different chemicals reported for each SIC code.
TITLE: "Planners' Library on User-Friendly Software (PLUS)
User's Guide"
AVAILABILITY: Hotline
EPA ORDER NO.: EPA774-B-93-001
EPA designed PLUS to assist emergency planners in locating
references related to chemical emergency planning activities.
The software is a bibliography containing more than 300 citations
of references. The User's Guide explains the various features of
PLUS, how to search the software for citations, and how to update
the system.
TITLE: "Development of Environmental Release Estimates for
Welding Operations"
AVAILABILITY: Hotline
EPA ORDER NO.: NA
Section 313 of SARA Title III requires facilities that meet
certain criteria to report their annual releases of toxic
chemicals. This study presents release factors that may be used
for estimating emissions from welding operations. All fume and
slag samples studied were analyzed for nine specific metals on
the Section 313 toxic chemical list.
TITLE: "Proceedings: Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Data Use
Conference"
AVAILABILITY: Hotline
EPA ORDER NO.: EPA745-R-93-004
On March 29-31, 1993, EPA sponsored a TRI Data Use Conference in
Chicago, Illinois. The conference brought together
representatives from a wide range of groups including federal,
state, and tribal agencies; environmental groups; and industry.
The topics covered by this conference include state use of TRI
data, waste minimization data collection, and future TRI
initiatives. This document contains the presentations made at
the TRI conference and panel discussions.
OUST
TITLE: "Evaluation of the Potential for External Corrosion and
Review of Cathodic Protection Monitoring Associated with
Sti-P3 Underground Storage Tanks" (Tillinghast Report)
AVAILABILITY: Hotline
EPA ORDER NO.: NA
This report summarizes the findings of a survey Tillinghast, a
private firm, conducted for the Steel Tank Institute.
Tillinghast surveyed tank owners, tank installers and regulators
to identify any instances of failures attributed to external
corrosion of sti-P3 tanks.
TITLE: "Health and Safety Training: An Interactive Video
Training Course for UST Inspectors and Workers"
(Brochure)
AVAILABILITY: Hotline
EPA ORDER NO.: EPA510-B-93-015
This brochure advertises a new interactive training video, UST
Health and Safety Training: An Interactive Video Training Course
for UST Inspectors and Workers. It provides information on the
purpose of the video, what hardware and software is necessary to
run the video, and ordering information.
OTHER
TITLE: "Monthly Hotline Report"
AVAILABILITY: NTIS
NTIS ORDER NO.: See below
Yearly Subscription PB93-922 400
530-R-93-004
January 1993 PB93-922 401
530-R-93-004a
February 1993 PB93-922 402
530-R-93-004b
March 1993 PB93-922 403
530-R-93-004c
April 1993 PB93-922 404
530-R-93-004d
May 1993 PB93-922 405
530-R-93-004e
June 1993 PB93-922 406
530-R-93-004f
July 1993 PB93-922 407
530-R-93-004g
August 1993 PB93-922 408
530-R-93-004h
September 1993 PB93-922 409
530-R-93-004i
October PB93-922 410
530-R-93-004j
November PB93-922 411
530-R-93-004k
The reports contain questions that required EPA resolution or
were frequently asked, publications availability, Federal
Register summaries, and Hotline call statistics.
The Monthly Hotline Report Questions and Answers are also
available for downloading at no charge from CLU-IN at (301)
589-8366.